Region 2 - Alliance Annual Report - October 5, 2005

Department of Professional Development and Continued Education of the Professional College of Engineers and Land Surveyors of Puerto Rico (CIAPR),

US Department of Labor – OSHA, Puerto Rico Area Office (PRAO),

And

PR Department of Labor, PR-OSHA

  1. Alliance Background

    Date Signed

    September 9, 2004

    Overview

    The purposes of this alliance are to improve workplace safety and health for workers in Puerto Rico and provide members of the CIAPR and others with information, guidance and access to training resources that will help them protect employees’ health and safety, particularly in reducing and preventing exposure to hazards in the construction industry

    Implementation Team Members

    Magal González, Director Department of Professional Development and Continued Education, CIAPR

    Ilza Román, Director Consultation Division, PR-OSHA

    Madelline Medina, Compliance Assistance Specialist, Federal OSHA (PRAO)

    Contributors
    N/A

    Evaluation Period

    September 9, 2004 to September 30, 2005

  2. Implementation Team Meetings

    November 30, 2004: In-person team meeting
    May 26, 2005: In-person team meeting
    October 3, 2005: In-person team meeting

  3. Events and Products

    Training and Education

    Develop and deliver training and education programs on occupational safety and health issues with a focus on construction industry hazards such as falls, electrical, struck by, caught by and in between.

    • Events

      March 3, 2005: Three-hour training session on Confined Spaces for Construction, San Juan Chapter. (PRAO)

      March 31, 2005: Three-hour training session on Fall Protection in Construction, San Juan Chapter. (PRAO)

    • Products
      N/A

    Outreach and Communication

    Speak, exhibit, or appear at OSHA’s, OSHO’s or the CIAPR’s local conferences and meetings, or other outreach or educational events.

    • Events

      September 10, 2004: Participation by CIAPR in SPPAPR Annual Assembly as a member in a panel about Alliances.

    • Products
      N/A

    Promoting the National Dialogue on Workplace Safety and Health

    Raise others’ awareness of and demonstrate their own commitment to workplace safety and health whenever the CIAPR leaders address groups.

    • Events

      CIAPR Annual Convention and Assembly, August 4-7, 2005: Plenary session on “Managing a Construction Project”, which included areas such as accident prevention and hazard recognition.

    • Products
      N/A

  4. Results

    CIAPR’s Regulation #6575, Engineers and Land Surveyors Continued Education Regulations, dated January 2003, established a new requirement for all licensed engineers and land surveyors working in PR by requiring at least 15 contact-hours per year for a total of 75 contact-hours within the 5-year period to renew their certifications/licenses. CIAPR’s Continued Education Division, through this Alliance, has certified PRAO’s CAS as an authorized trainer, whose training sessions qualified as continued education. This allows, for the first time in the history of the CIAPR, for courses on safety and health topics to be taught to practicing engineers; thus enhancing their awareness and knowledge of occupational hazards.

     

    Type of Activity (Conference, Training, Print and Electronic Distribution, etc.)

    Number of Individuals Reached or Trained (approx.)

    Training session on Confined Spaces in Construction  (3 contact-hours)

     75

    Training Fall Protection in Construction (3 contact-hours)

     70

    Panel on Alliances

     55

    CIAPR Annual Assembly

    100+

    TOTAL

    300+

     

  5. Upcoming Milestones

    1. To develop and deliver a training and education program on heavy equipment accidents/fatalities and their causes to specifically address the increasing problem with this type of equipment in PR. A draft training program is expected to be developed by December 2006.

    2. To continue offering seminar/training sessions on construction focused hazards and health related topics through Federal OSHA that would allow licensed engineers to enhance their occupational safety and health hazards awareness, at the same time they comply with the new CIAPR license renewal law requirements with regards to continued education contact-hours.